Destructive hydrogenation of solid carbonaceous material



u y 3- c. F. R. HARRISON ET AL 1,919,108

DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION OF SOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL Filed March 31,1930 m zaxwsi mv :Qfii:

T \LA aLMJM% (#W {Hum/LAW mm mamw Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATESPATENT FFIC CHARLES FREDERICK REED HARRISON AND HOWARD WILLIAlcI STRONG,OF NORTON- ON-TEES, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO IMIPERIAL CHEMICAL INDUSTRIESLIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COMPANY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATIONOF SOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL Application filed March 31, 1930, SerialNo. 440,628, and in Great Britain April 17, 1929.

The destructive hydrogenation of coal or other solid carbonaceousmaterial is often performed in the presence of a catalyst as this leadsto a more even course of the reaction, a greater yield of oil andgenerally a diminished residue of un iquefied coal. It is important tosecure an intimate contact between the material to be hydrogenated andthe catalyst, and We have found that excellent results are obtained byinitially bringing the coinminuted coal or other solid carbonaceousmaterial into contact. with a limited quantity of an aqueous solutioncontaining one or more catalytic elements or substances. In this way thecatalyst is evenly distributed over the surface of the comminuted solidmaterial and opportunity is afforded for adsorption of the catalyst atthe surfaces of the particles.

The invention may be carried out, for ex ample. by preparing an aqueoussolution of a catalyst for destructive hydrogenation, e. g. nickelnitrate or ammonium inolybdate, and wetting the ground or pulverizedcoal with a limited quantity of the solution, preferably by spraying thesolution on to a continually agitated bulk of the material. Afterdraining, the impregnated material may be mixed with a suitable oil andhydrogenated in the standard manner. If desired, the moist raw materialmay be dried before it is mixed with the oil.

In general, any catalytic material favouring destructive hydrogenationmay be employed in the process of the invention if it can be prepared ina water-soluble form. Metals or metal oxides, for example, may beprepared and dissolved in the form of their soluble salts, which aresubsequently converted, usually in the course of the hydrogenation, tothe active state. Reducible salts are thus particularly suitable.

One method of carrying the invention into effect is shown in theaccompanying drawing. Powdered coal falls from hopper 1, past valve 2into the cylinder 3. It is conveyed along this cylinder by the screwconveyor 4 by which it is continuously agitated while being sprayed witha solution or suspension of catalyst from the line 5. Eventually itpasses into the vessel 6 in which it is mixed with oil, supplied throughthe pipe 8, by means of the mixer 7. The mixture of oil, coal andcatalyst leaves the apparatus by pipe 9. The excess of solution maydrain away through holes 10.

A saturated solution of the catalyst may be used in quantity suflicientto moisten the coal uniformly. Pressures of about 200 atmospheres andtemperatures of about 420 C. are preferably employed in the destructivehydrogenation in the lmown manner and 1000-2000 cubic metres ofhydrogen, measured at normal temperature and pressure are employed perton of coal oil paste which contains 30 per cent of coal and per centheavy oil.

By a limited amount of solution in the appended claims is to beunderstood an amount which will just moisten the carbonaceous ma terial.

The solution with which the solid carbonaceous material is sprayed isreferred to in the appended claims as being a solution of a substancegiving rise to a catalyst. This limitation is necessary since it will beobvious that the actual catalyst will be a decomposition product of theactual substance in the solution.

We declare that what we claim is 1. Process for the destructivehydrogenation of solid carbonaceous material which consists in sprayingthe comminuted material in absence of oil with a limited amount of anaqueous solution of a substance giving rise to a hydrogenating catalyst,mixing the coated material with an oil, and thereafter causing it toreact with hydrogen under an elevated temperature and pressure.

2. Process for the destructive hydrogenation of solid carbonaceousmaterial which consists in treating the comminuted material in theabsence of oil with a limited amount of an aqueous solution of asubstance giving rise to a hydrogenating catalyst, mixing the coatedmaterial with an oil, and thereafter causing the mixture to react withhydrogen under elevated temperature and pressure.

away, mixing the coated material with an oil, and thereafter causing themixture to react with hydrogen under elevated temperature and pressure.

CHARLES FREDERICK REED HARRISON.

HOWARD WILLIAM STRONG.

